posted on Jul, 12 2004 @ 01:41 PM
The British police have just developed a weapon that they say will make car chases nearly a thing of the past. The device works by using capacitors to
direct a radio-wave pulse (in other words EMP) at the target which fries the circuits in the car's electronic engine-control unit, so the engine
stops working. The device is either carried by hand or mounted on a police car or van (I'm not sure which) and is at most the size of a radar speed
trap. The pulse allows other road users' cars to continue functioning, so must be in a fairly tight beam. I wonder whether a larger such device could
be built to knock down aircraft (which are even more dependent on electronics) at long range?